Lycanthropy (werewolves)Lycanthropy comes from the Greek word lukos meaning wolf and the Greek word anthropos meaning man and translates into wolfman. So lycanthropy is the transformation of a human into a wolf. Usually it is a man but occasionally it can be a woman or a child. There are two kinds of lycanthropy one exhibited as a mania in which the person believes himself to be a wolf and roams the country side to feed his craving for blood by killing and eating its victims. The second type is accomplished through the use of ointments or charms, which have the magical power to turn a human into a werewolf. The term werewolf comes from the old English word wer or man plus wolf, which becomes manwolf. There are many theories as to how a person becomes a werewolf. One is that the person controls the animal with his mind and makes the animal do what he commands. Another is that a person can deliberately transforms himself into the animal, as a sorcerer would do so as to do evil or kill his enemies. Not only can sorcerers change into wolfs but other animals as well, but also prefer the wolf the best as it is the most feared of any animal. Throughout the world there has been many a belief in lycanthropy, the Navajo Indians believed that witches could turn themselves into the animals by just wearing the skin of the animal on their back. In medieval times the European countries were in fear of werewolves and they thought that these werewolves were servants of the devil. Throughout centuries there have been many stories of werewolf and cannibalism in the courts. Many men were convicted of killing and eating their victims. Even in modern day there have been cases of men believing that they are werewolves. These modern day werewolves are thought to be possessed by the spirit of a wolf rather than being bitten by a werewolf as portrayed in Hollywood movies. |
